House and Senate Cloakroom: December 5-11, 2010

With the administration in negotiations regarding the extension of tax relief measures from 01/03, a deal could be struck at some point this week and the measure brought to the floor in the House. That being said, there will also be further discussions of what the Congress will do with the Continuing Resolution and funding of the government set to end on December 18th. An all encompassing omnibus bill that would package all of the appropriations bills together could be possible but at this time unknown. There could also be a possible vote on the DREAM Act depending on the measures result in a Senate cloture vote this week.

Directly following the two failed votes on the House tax bill held last Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that he was planning to file cloture on several legislative items today, including the DREAM Act, a bill to give an additional $250 one time payments to social security recipients, a bill offering compensation to those exposed to debris during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and a bill to grant bargaining rights to public safety employees . These cloture votes are expected to take place on Wednesday. The Senate will reconvene at 2pm today, but no votes are scheduled.

The Senate will move to the impeachment trial of G. Thomas Porteous Jr., a U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of Louisiana on Tuesday.

A group of bipartisan Members are still working towards a compromise on how to react to the expiring 2001/2003 tax law . If an agreement is reached, a vote on some sort of compromise is possible later this week.

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